NORTHEAST WISCONSIN — Advocates for hunger relief say the Wisconsin State Supreme Court's decision to overturn the public health emergency has impacts beyond the mask mandate repeal.
Their concern is that vulnerable Wisconsin residents will lose out on federal funding. Advocates with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin say it will increase hunger.
Through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Congress authorized emergency increases to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/FoodShare benefits. FoodShare is the largest program working to fight hunger in America.
The Emergency Allotments allow all SNAP households to receive the maximum SNAP benefit each month. For example, a senior who was receiving $16/month in SNAP now receives the maximum allotment of $234. That program provides around $50 million a month to people in Wisconsin.
To receive emergency allotments, there must be both a state and a federal public health emergency. Wisconsin SNAP/FoodShare households will no longer be eligible for the emergency allotments due to the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision.
“This has been an especially difficult week for our most vulnerable neighbors and it doesn’t ,” said Patti Habeck, President and CEO of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “Not having access to these federal programs will be detrimental to our Wisconsin communities and put further strain on the hunger relief system.”
Feeding America officials are asking the legislature or governor to issue a new public health emergency. They say it could focus exclusively on food assistance.
